INTRODUCTION
Congratulations on your purchase of the SWR Workingman’s 8004 T/O/P Bass Amplifier! You now own the top-of-the-line amp in SWR’s Workingman’s Series of products for bassists who expect professional tone and power at a price they can afford.
The story of the development of this particular amplifier is unique. Often in the past when creating new models from the ground up, SWR has consulted with a wide variety of professional players, many of whom have differing opinions but all of whom are considered experts in the field of bass tone. This amplifier was done a little differently, as it was created by SWR’s engineering team (led by company founder Steve W. Rabe) and guided by extensive consultation with one of the most important bassists of our time: Tower Of Power’s Francis “Rocco” Prestia.
The goals were clear from the outset: simple, loud, fast response, all solid-state, and easy to use. We saw early on that it would be a perfect addition to our Workingman’s Line, which we launched in the mid-’90s in response to numerous requests from our customers to produce a line of products that would incorporate the same great SWR sound, high reliability, and hand-made craftsmanship, at an overall lower price than the Professional Line. Regardless of price, the Workingman’s Series offered no compromises of the essen- tial SWR design and construction philosophy. Corners weren’t cut from a more elaborate model: rather, each product’s design parameters were conceived from the ground up and the best available components were selected for each application. As a result, it became and continues to be our highest-selling line of products.
But working with Rocco gave us a chance to explore some different tone circuits and voicings in the pre- amp and EQ controls, and after six months of intensive development and several prototypes, the Workingman’s 8004 T/O/P—that’s Tower Of Power—was born. While staying true to the basic elements of tone that have made SWR famous, it literally sounds different than anything else we offer. The midrange is less present, the bass response is more “pillowy,” and the solid-state circuitry is lightning-quick to the touch of your fingers. With a brutish 750-watt mono-block power amp, a custom-made rack case for easy housing and transportation, a wide variety of audio and speaker outputs, and circuits like the brand new “Shape” control, we’re proud to say that it’s the new top-of-the-line piece in the Workingman’s line. Along with the perfectly-matched Workingman’s Tower 8x10 speaker cabinet, you’ve got a rig that can do the job anywhere—as Rocco has been demonstrating on stages around the world.
Please take the time to read your User Guide thoroughly and completely, so that you can realize the full potential of your new Workingman’s 8004 T/O/P Bass Amplifier. Everyone at SWR thanks you for your pur- chase, and for believing in our continued efforts to bring the best possible products to bassists of all lev- els. Including Rocco’s level.
Sincerely,
SWR
